He reminded her softly that this was the agreed condition; she didn't have to stay in hospital, but she had to rest. The doctors had told her it was the best thing. Best for the baby at least, Izzie couldn't think of anything worse than two months at home in bed. Tom had made her phone Jack, to tell him that she woud be taking sick leave. Despite still being perfectly capable of teaching, her own addition to the script. Jack had rolled his eyes and Tom had felt it down the phone and across the table. He had reluctantly left her after that. An hour later, her girls reminded her again; the doctors were right, no matter how many times she argued otherwise. She was under strict orders not to get up to mischief and stress Tom out.
He'd arrived home late after a meeting, expecting to find her cleaning or cooking, or some other ridiculous task. She wasn't. It surprised him to find her still in bed when he pushed open the bedroom door. Chlo lay next to her, still in her school uniform, backpack slung on the floor beside the bed. Chlo's hand rested protectively on Izzie's stomach, her head on her mother's chest, eyes closed. Izzie pressed a finger from her free hand to her lips. He stayed quiet, rounding the bed and sinking down on the other side of them. He leaned in to kiss Izzie's forehead, "Good day?" he asked.
"Lonely, until this one came home," She whispered, "She's been here since lunchtime,"
"Izzie," Tom raised his voice slightly, warning her.
"I know, I should have phoned, I should have sent her back, but," Izzie ran her fingers through Chlo's hair, pulling her daughter closer to her chest. Tom nodded, he couldn't pretend he'd have done the same thing, but he understood at least.
"Dinner," Tom said, pushing himself up from the bed, "pasta?" Izzie nodded back at him.
"No Mika," She replied, "She's at Brett's for some French project" Izzie waved her mobile phone slightly.
"Ahhh, least someone in this family communicates!" He smiled, and she stuck out her tongue playfully.
Hearing someone call her name, Kim turned to see Tom jogging towards her across the tarmac. From his pocket he produced a small ring with two keys on, and handed them to her. "The girls aren't home. Let yourself in, she knows you're coming" He started to turn away, then changed his mind, "thanks for this" he smiled. Tom walked backwards a couple of steps before turning towards the girls football team, shouting something about stretching.
"She's my friend, Tom. This isn't a favour" She called after him. Shaking her head with a smile, she climbed into her car and started the engine.
Kim arrived at Izzie's, wine in hand. Letting herself in with Tom's spare keys. "Hello" she called through the open door, not wanting to shock Izzie, "It's Kim," she waited for an answer, but the house stayed silent. Stepping over the threshold and into the hallway, she called Izzie's name. "In here," Izzie's voice carried through from the lounge. Kim poked her head around the door, smiling at Izzie laid out on the sofa. Izzie shimmied herself into a sitting position, back resting on the arm of the sofa, legs tucked up, a decision she almost instantly regretted. Kim sank into the space beside her, and Izzie's legs stretched over into her lap. Kim told the stories of the day, on Izzie's insistance, without missing a single detail. Tom left out details, small ones, which Izzie thought were the best parts of Kim's retelling.
As they laughed and talked, Kim lost track of her refills and Izzie lost track of time without the girls there to complain about lack of dinner. Before they knew it keys clicked in the lock and cold air rushed in through the open door, making both women shiver. Tom walked in, leaning against the doorframe. Raising his eyebrows, he looked towards the wine glass raised to Izzie's lips. "Relax, it's just sparkly water" Kim chastised, waving a hand towards him. She attempted to lift herself and instantly fell back onto the sofa, giggling. Izzie leaned into her, tears streaming down her cheeks as she too laughed. Tom rolled his eyes, which only served to make the women laugh harder. Once again, Kim tried to stand. Tom stepped into the room, catching Kim's arm, steadying her. "I think someone's had too much sparkly water" Tom locked eyes with Izzie, who still giggled on the sofa. "Let's get you a taxi" he said and he walked Kim into the kitchen.
She awoke in the middle of the night again, sleep evading her every night for the past month. She pushed herself up from the bed, trying her best to do so silently, to not wake Tom. Wandering from the bedroom, she could feel the baby sommersaulting on repeat and she tried to soothe her by rubbing small circles. Izzie pushed at Chlo's bedroom door, happy at the sight of the rise and fall of Chlo's chest under her blankets. Pulling the door behind her, Izzie repeated her actions at her eldest daughter's bedroom door. Her hand ran along the banister, as the baby kicked at her insides and her knuckles turned white against the dark wood. Izzie winced, doubling over at a particularly hard kick. She didn't need quick maths anymore to work out that it was still too soon, but these kicks definately felt different. As she reached the bottom of the stairs, still trying not to wake the rest of the house, she lowered herself to sit on a step. "Not yet baby," she cooed, rubbing her bump, "you're not done cooking."
Tom stood at the top of the stairs, a frightening sight had Izzie turned to look up. He padded down the stairs and dropped onto the step beside her, moving his hand to rest atop hers. They made eye contact, though Izzie tried to avoid it. Tom pulled her chin up with one finger, "not alone" he whispered, before planting his lips to her forehead. She sighed, leaning into him. Her hand gripped his as a sharp pain rippled through her abdomen. "Tom," Her voice sounded small in the semi-darkness, "I think she's ready, even if we're not."